Device for winding up spring-driven clockworks of toy vehicles



May 30, 1939. v E. HORN v 2,160,738

DEVICE FOR wmnme UP SPRING-DRIVEN GLOCKWORKS orwox'. VEHICLES Filed Dec. 13, 1938 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l v I I r lhl e f0}:

7 Affar ney May 30, 1939.

DEVICE FOR WINDING E. HORN r 2,160,733

UP SPRING-DRIVEN CLOCKWORKS OF TOY VEHICLES Filed Dec. 1s, 1.958 2 Sheets-Sheet? 9- m 1/ in. 7 3 L- X Imit 7 g,

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- I Patented May 30. 9*

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEVICE FOR WINDING UP SPRING-DRIVEN 'CLOCKWORKS OF TOY "EHIGLES Ernst Horn, Nuremberg, Germany I Application December 13, 1938, Serial no. 245,485

In Germany April 29, 1938 Claims. (01.46-39) This invention relates to devices for windingup spring-driven clockworks'of toy vehicles and, more particularly, to an arrangement of the kind comprising a device in the form of an independ- 5 entpost or pillar-simulating a gasoline supply station or depot with a filling mechanism permitting coupling said toy vehicle withsaid sta- ;tion or depot in order to wind-up the clockwork ,of said vehicle from time to time byoperating in said filling mechanism.

- y providing a device of this kind, the enjoyment of play with the toy-vehicle will be considerably enhanced.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented two forms of construction of my new device for winding-up spring-driven clockworks of toy-vehicles, Fig. 1 being a side-view, showing said post or pillar simulating said station or depot and said toy-vehicle not yet coupled with the former. Fig. 2 is a top plan view partly in section showing said post or pillar and said ve-. hicle in coupled condition in order to wind-up the clockwork of the latter. Fig. 3is a top plan view partly in section illustrating a second form I of construction of said post or pillar and showing said toy-vehicle in coupled condition withsaid post or pillar. ,Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through said post or pillar with the winding-key in retracted condition, that is in a condition in ,which the latter iswithdra'wn from the winding stem of said clockwork.

In either form of construction the device for. winding-up the clockwork of the toy-vehicle is constructed in the form of a post-like or pillartiike structuresimulating a gasoline supply sta- According to Figs. 1 and 2, the device for winding-up the clockwork of the toy-vehicle consists of the aforesaid post-like structure having a casing I, a shaft 4' being mounted rotatably therein, said shaft carrying at its front end akeyhead 4 and at its rear end a swinging lever 2, both fixed to said shaftl'. Uponoperating said swinging lever 2 a step-by-step rotation may be' imparted to said shaft 4' through the medium of 'a pawl and ratchet-wheel as shown in Fig. 1. The key head 4 forming part of said shaft 4' is positioned at even height'with the winding-stem I of the clockwork of the toy-vehicle which,

when placed in front of said device, needs to be shifted solely towards the side in order to effect coupling between the winding-stem I and the.

key-head 4, as indica ed inFlg. 2. The winding-stem 1 which forms part of the spring-driven clockwork of the toy-vehicle will thus be properly engaged with the key-head 4 on the shaft 4', permitting winding said clockwork by rocking the lever 2.

The post-like structure or casing l simulating a gasoline supply station or depot is preferably 5 mounted on a base-plate l0 adapted to serve as a platform for reception of the toy-vehicle, said platform permittingthe toy-vehicle to be moved towards said post-like structure or casing I. In

order to facilitate proper connection between 1 said post-like structureor casing l and the vehicle as soon as it moves onto said platform, the lattenis provided with a depressed track 9 having an outer side-wall of curved conformation.

During, the operation of winding-up the 15 spring-driven .clockwork of the toy-vehicle by means of the swinging lever 2 and the parts associated therewith,. the vehicle may be locked in known manner against travelling motion as by means of a brake lever 8, indicated in Fig. 1. 20 p The second form of construction of my present device for winding-up the spring-driven clockwork of toy-vehicles as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 represents a further improvement as compared 'with Figs. 1 and 2. The post-like structure or- 25 displaceably mounted withina sleeve ll having a guide flange ll, saidsleeve being mounted in an aperture of the wall of said post-like structure 40 or casing I.

A ratchet-wheel 3 is fixedly mounted on the sleeve ll, while a swinging lever 2 is mounted within said post-like strizcture or casing! permitting rotation of said ratchet-wheel 3 by the 45 intermediary of a pawl associated with said lever 2, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. Upon rocking said lever 2, a step-by-step rotation may be imparted to said shaft 4' and said key-head 4 and also to the winding-stem I of the clockwork of 50 I the toy vehicle.

In both forms of construction of my present device for winding-up the clockwork of toy-vehicles the post-like structure or casing I simulating the gasoline supply station or depot may further be provided with a flexible cord, hose or the like carrying at its free end a connecting piece i which may be inserted into a socket provided on the casing of the toy-vehicle during the operation of winding-up the clockwork, thus more closely simulating the operation of tanking. Upon completion of the operation oi. winding-up of the clockwork of the toy-vehicle, the connect+ ing piece 6 is removed from the toy-vehicle and the key-head 4 retracted from the windingstem I.

with thetconstruction of the device as shown in -Fig. 2 the toy-vehicle itself is withdrawn in lateral direction from the key-head 4, while with the construction according to Figs. 3 and 4 the key-head l and the shaft 4' are withdrawn from the winding-stem 'i to uncouple the toy-vehicle from the device.

The toy-vehicle may start its travel from the platform in immediately upon being disconnected from the device by merely releasing the brake lever 8 which lever forms part of either form'of construction of the device as'shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

My present device is furthermore particularly suited to serve as a supplement for toy-vehicles travelling on a toy track, and in particular will permit the operation of winding up the clockwork of the toy-vehicle while standing upon the track, with the result that the process of winding-up the clockwork will not be conspicuous as such but more closely simulate the operation of tanking.

I claim:

1. A device for winding-up the spring-driven clockwork of a toy-vehicle, said device comprising a post-like structure or casing simulating a gasoline supply station, or depot, and mechanism associated with said structure or casing, said mechanism adapted to be connected to or disconnected from the winding-stem of said clockwork.

2. A device specifled by claim 'L-said mechanism comprising a shaft mounted rotatably on said structure or casing, a swinging lever, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft,-a pawl on said swinging lever in engagement with said ratchetwheel to impart step-by-step rotation to said shaft upon forward and rearward swinging of said lever, said shaft being provided witha keyhead at its free end saidkey-head adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the winding-stem of said clockwork.

' 3. A device as specified by claim 1,. said mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft provided with a key-head, a swinging lever, a pawl-and-ratchet device interposed between said shaft and said lever, and means permitting longitudinal displacement of said shaft with respect to said structure or casing.

4. A device as specified by claim 1, said mechanism comprising a rotatable shaft provided with a key-head, a swinging lever, a pawl-and-ratchet device interposed between said shaft and said lever, and a sleeve carrying said shaft, said swinging lever and said pawl-and-ratchet device mounted within said structure or casing displaceably in longitudinal direction of said shaft to permit withdrawal of said key-head from the winding-stem of the clockwork of the toy-vehicle upon completed winding-up of said clockwork.

' 5. A device as specified by claim 1, said device including a base-plate associated with said postlike structure, a depressed track on said baseplate adapted for reception ofthe toy-vehicle, the lateral wall of said track opposite to said post-like structure having a curved conformation permitting a toy-vehicle when travelling on said track to be moved laterally towards said post-like structure and said mechanism associated therewith. .7

ERNST HORN. 40 

